The Bromfield Trojans played three consecutive away matches, losing their first, 4–1 to Nashoba Regional High School on Monday, May 1, but redeeming themselves by winning against Tyngsborough High School 4–1 and Notre Dame Academy 5–0 on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
The Monday match was highly competitive as it was against a perennial Division 1 powerhouse, Nashoba. The first doubles pair of senior and captain Ariel Jones-Mollod and sophomore Alex O’Neil lost the first set 6–3 but made a great comeback by getting O’Neil to return the serves up the line and Jones-Mollod to be more aggressive at the net, winning the second set 6–3 and the third set 6–0.
Captain Lisa Jorgensen wallops a backhand. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz))
Second and third singles also consisted of very close plays. Although a 6–2, 6–2 score might not seem competitive, eighth-grader Leimelia Tratnyek managed to draw out several of the points, keeping the ball in play, but ultimately losing to a senior player with years more experience. Junior Sarah Moore made her singles debut after sitting out the first part of the season with a shoulder injury. Moore managed an impressive match despite the loss, winning her first set 6–3 and drawing out her next two sets, but losing them, 7–6 and 10–4.
Coach Chris Holmes said this match was one Moore would most likely have won if it had come later in the season, as she was just getting back into the rhythm of playing. First singles had an extremely good player, taking that point, and second doubles displayed better teamwork. Overall, the coach said it was a good match to learn from and “for the first time this season, had our full team on the court.”
Ariel Jones-Mollod returns a forehand in a doubles match, May 8.
The Tuesday match against Tyngsborough, a team that has improved since last year, was played without Bromfield’s first singles player, senior and captain Lisa Jorgensen, who was resting in preparation for the following day’s match against Notre Dame. Thus, Tratnyek took the first singles position for the first time, an impressive task for an eighth-grader. She lost 6–3, 6–2, as the Tyngsborough first singles player lacked rhythm and played with unpredictable shots that were hard to combat. Moore lost her first set in second singles but adjusted quickly and won her next two sets 6–1, 6–1. Junior Abby Zajac also played a great singles match, winning third by running down many balls and consistently keeping the ball in play. First doubles won with ease in a 6–0, 6–0 match while second doubles figured out a strategy to hit balls to the weaker of their two opponents, which frustrated the stronger player, causing her to make more mistakes and ultimately helping Bromfield win the match.
Match three on Wednesday against ongoing Division 3 nemesis Notre Dame turned out to be an unexpectedly easy 5–0 win. Coach Holmes said Notre Dame has been less strong in recent years, and this match was held when several of their players were sick. Jorgenson, who had been resting in preparation, won her match easily, 6–1, 6–1. Tratnyek played a rather long second singles, losing her first set 4–6, and, despite having trouble with her wrist, winning her second set 6–3. The third set was very tense, involving a tiebreaker that ended 12–10 after Tratnyek saved a match point at 8–9 to win. The Trojans won third singles by default and both doubles matches without any difficulty.
Coach Holmes reported that the team had been making good progress, and now with player positions secured, as long as everyone stays healthy, the team should win most of the remaining matches and make it to district competition, she said. Bromfield is currently first in its division.
Bromfield versus Nashoba – Monday, May 1
1st singles: Ari Sanjar, Nashoba, def. Lisa Jorgensen, Bromfield, 6–0, 6–2.
2nd singles: Keagan Castles, Nashoba, def. Leimalia Tratnyek, Bromfield, 6–2, 6–2.
3rd singles: Meredith Curran, Nashoba, def. Sarah Moore, Bromfield, 3–6, 7–6 (4), 10–4.
1st doubles: Ariel Jones-Mollod, Alex O’Neil, Bromfield, def. Haley Neff, Lauren vonStetten, Nashoba, 3–6, 6–3, 6–0.
2nd doubles: Emily Boucher, Kayllin Castles, Nashoba, def. Joanna Young, Olivia Noyes, 6–0, 6–3.
Bromfield versus Tyngsborough – Tuesday, May 2
1st singles: Lauren Foley, Tyngsborough, def. Leimalia Tratnyek, Bromfield, 6–3, 6–2.
2nd singles: Sarah Moore, Bromfield, def. Juliana Jackson, Tyngsborough, 4–6, 6–1, 6–1.
3rd singles: Abby Zajac, Bromfield, def. Maggie Yang, Tyngsborough, 7–5, 6–4.
1st doubles: Alex O’Neil, Olivia Noyes, Bromfield, def. Ellie DiMauo, Dawn Nelle, Tyngsborough, 6–0, 6–0.
2nd doubles: Joanna Young, Lillian Shaw, Bromfield, def. Reina Sword, Hayley Altenweg, Tyngsborough, 6–4, 6–2.
Bromfield versus Notre Dame – Wednesday, May 3
1st singles: Lisa Jorgensen, Bromfield, def. Grace Kelly, Notre Dame, 6–1, 6–1.
2nd singles: Leimalia Tratnyek, Bromfield, def. Bella van Atten, Notre Dame, 4–6, 6–3, 12–10.
3rd singles: Bromfield won by forfeit.
1st doubles: Sarah Moore, Ariel Jones-Mollod, Bromfield, def. Lindsay Albright, Meghan Morrison, Notre Dame, 6–1, 6–0.
2nd doubles: Olivia Noyes, Joanna Young, Bromfield, def. Wendy Flamuraj, Elu Tatis, Notre Dame, 6–0, 6–0.
League record: 3–0
Overall record: 5–2
Ivy Wang is a Bromfield junior.
